Free
by ladybugsmomma
Summary: An event caused her to feel this way. Will she ever be free? AU One-Shot


**Disclaimer: I don't own it or all the smutty goodness for Rumbelle would happen!**

 **WARNING! THERE IS SMUT AND MENTIONS OF SUICIDE AND RAPE IN THIS! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

Belle had it with this life. She was tired of the stares and whispers. She was tired of being humiliated. She was just tired. After dealing with the aftermath of the event that happened three months ago, she was ready to give up and move on.  
She knew that her Papa would miss her and Ruby, maybe Archie, but not really anyone else. She certainly had no reason to live anymore. She'd miss the girl time with Ruby and working with her Papa at the shop and her talks with Archie, but she'd miss him a little more. He never knew how she felt and she resented not telling him, but she needed to be free from this life.

She sat down in the scalding water in the bathtub. She took the razor to her wrist and slashed her arm. She then repeated the process with the other arm. She sunk down into the water and let the blood seep out of the veins.

Robert Gold walked up the front stoop of Belle French's apartment. He'd an appointment with her concerning some of the artifacts he'd recently claimed. She said she'd had several books on them and how to properly appraise them for selling. He walked up the steps, his ankle screaming at being overworked.

He knew that Belle was another pariah in the town and they'd had several others whisper and glare at them being together whenever they met at Granny's to discuss whatever artifacts he'd come into. He was a pariah due to his wealth and being ruthless in his deals.

Once in front of her door, he raised his hand and knocked. The door opened on its own accord. That made him nervous. He walked in slightly and looked around.

"Ms. French, are you here?" he called out, but there was no answer.

"Hello? Anyone here?" he called again as he walked down the hall.

He entered her bedroom and he felt uncomfortable being in her space without permission. He'd noticed her purse beside the door and her favorite heels under her bed. Her clothes were strewn haphazardly throughout her bedroom floor. He noticed a light under the adjoining bathroom. He walked over to it and knocked.

"Ms. French, it's Mr. Gold, everything alright?" he asked, "Ms. French? I'm coming in."

He opened the door after taking a deep breath and the sight before him caused him to pause in shock. The lovely, pale body of Belle French lay in a tub of blood-colored water.

"Belle!" he cried as he went over and scooped her out of the tub to lay her on the floor. He took a towel to preserve her modesty and then another couple of towels were applied to her wrists to staunch the blood flow. He felt he carotid area for a pulse and found a faint one. His heart leapt at that revelation.

"Belle, can you hear me? Belle, please wake up!" he cried as he grappled his jacket for his cell phone to call emergency services.

Once he knew they were on their way, he moved her head into his lap as he held worked to bind the towels around her wrists. He moved an errant strand of hair out of her pale face. He carded his hand through her wet locks.

"Oh, Belle, why have you done this?" he cried softly.

Tears fell down his face as he recounted his feelings for the woman slipping away in his arms. He'd fallen in love with her the moment she hadn't taken no for an answer on one of their many standing lunch dates. He knew that he loved her, but he wouldn't ever tell her that for fear of rejection. Who could love a beast such as him?

The paramedics arrived and began to work on her. He moved away to let them work, but always kept an eye on her the whole time. They wheeled a gurney in and placed her on it.

"I'd like to ride with her," he told one of the paramedics.

"Are you family?" he asked.

"No, a…a friend," he said not really knowing what relationship label they held.

"I'm sorry, sir, family only. You can meet us at the hospital, however, Storybrooke General," the paramedic replied.

Gold nodded and made his way down to his car to follow the ambulance after the woman he silently loved and he hoped that she would survive this.

Once at the hospital, they wheeled Belle to the nearest open room and he waited in the waiting area to hear news. He knew that he should call her father and possibly the young Ms. Lucas, but all he could think about is her surviving and then being bombarded with questions as to why he was the one who found her in her home, naked nonetheless. His leg bounced and he fidgeted with his gold-tipped cane. It was a while before Dr. Whale came out. He rose from his seat and met the man halfway.

"How is she?" he asked.

"She'll recover. She's lost a considerable amount of blood. We've had to give her several blood transfusions and some fluids to help her body recover from the amount of blood loss. Do you know why she would try to take her own life?" the doctor asked.

Gold shook his head. He wouldn't divulge anything about her life and he definitely didn't want to make any assumptions as to what could've caused her to want to do this.

"We're keeping her for a 72-hour psych hold. It's standard procedure," the doctor said.

Gold nodded.

"May I see her?" he asked.

"As soon as she's in a room."

Gold nodded and moved to sit back in the chair he'd claimed previously. It was then that he'd decided to call her father. He fished his cell out of his pocket and dialed Moe French's number.

"Game of Thorns, Moe speaking," the man answered.

"Mr. French, this is Gold."

"What can I do for you? I know I've made my payment on time."

"It's what I can do for you and your daughter."

"Belle? What about her? Is she alright?"

"No, not so much. She's currently at Storybrooke General under a psych hold due to attempting to commit suicide."

"Are you sure you're talking about my Belle? She'd never do such a thing!"

"I assure you that she has tried. She's going to be alright physically, but mentally I am unsure."

"Why are you the one calling me? What did you do to her?!"

"I've done nothing. I'm the one who found her."

"Why were you at her apartment?"

"Look, would you rather have a full rundown or make your way here to speak with the doctors and see your daughter?"

"Right, sorry, I'll be there in a bit. Thank you for calling me, Gold."

"You're welcome."

He hung up the phone and replaced it back into his jacket pocket and resumed fidgeting with his cane. A nurse came out and told him that he could see her now and that she was awake. He followed the nurse to her room and he stood at the door.

She looked better already. She wasn't as pale as she was when he found her. She had bandages around her wrists and several tubes ran to her hands. She had her head turned away from the door as if she didn't want to see anyone.

He knocked on the door and frowned as she jumped at the sound. Her eyes widened as she saw who had come to see her.

"M...Mr. Gold? What are you doing here? How did you know I was here?"

"Ah, I was the one who found you."

Her face reddened. He'd seen her naked. At the time, she didn't care anymore. She didn't think she would've survived. She didn't expect anyone to come looking for her so soon.

"May I come in?"

Belle nodded. He walked into the room and shut the door. He sat down in the chair next to her bed and put his hands on the cane in front of him.

"Why? Why did you try to kill yourself?"

"I just couldn't take it anymore. My life and all that it involved."

"Didn't you consider who would miss you? Your loved ones who care so much for you?"

"I did, but I figured that, in time, the pain would heal and it would be like I was never here. They wouldn't have to deal with my shame anymore."

"Shame? What shame have you? You're beautiful, smart, and successful. There's no shame in that."

"You don't know what happened to me three months ago."

"What happened? If you care to tell me, that is."

"I was walking home from the library one night when I was grabbed and dragged into an alleyway. There the man proceeded to rape me. I had been a virgin and he stole my innocence from me. I kept thinking about how I should've fought harder, how I should've screamed for help, and it made me sink into a deep depression. I didn't want to handle everyone knowing what I had went through, what I allowed to happen because I wasn't strong enough to fight him off."

He was taken aback at the news of her assault. He felt angry now that the whole town avoided her like the plague and whispered behind her back. That was part of the reason to hate living in a small town. He placed a gentle hand on one of hers that didn't have tubes coming out of it.

"It wasn't your fault. It was his. He assaulted you. Did you report it?"

"I did, but they haven't done anything about it. I still see him everywhere. He…it's like he's stalking me and I just can't handle that anymore."

"I'll handle this. I'll make you feel safe again."

"Why do you care what happens to me?"

He looked away. He fought the fear and swallowed hard before looking into her eyes.

"I care because I…I've fallen in love with you."

Belle gasped and gaped at him. He went to move his hand, but found he couldn't as she grasped it tightly as a lifeline. He looked down at their clasped hands and then back to her eyes. She had a wide smile on her face and tears falling down her cheeks.

"I feel the same way."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was ashamed. How could you want someone who is damaged goods? I jump at every loud noise. I still can't sleep at night without a nightlight and nightmares plaguing me. I flinch every time a man touches me or looks at me…except you."

Gold felt a sense of pride swell through his chest. She could only stand to be near him. She felt the same way he did. He couldn't believe it. How could anyone fall in love with someone like him? A failure and a coward whom most of the town feared, the town pariah, how could she want to be with him?

"Belle, you know that they are keeping you here under a psych watch?"

"I do. They told me that it was standard procedure."

"It is and it's also procedure for you to stay with someone or seek further psychiatric help."

"I'm aware. I plan to make an appointment with Dr. Hopper as soon as I'm out of here."

"Do you have someone that you can stay with?"

"Ruby or my father might be able to let me stay with them."

Gold looked away.

"Or I could stay with you?"

He looked back at her shock registering on his face.

"I don't think you want to do that. People will…"

"I don't care. At this point, I really don't care. They hate me as it is due to the shame I brought on my father."

"How do you bring shame for the man when what happened wasn't your fault?"

"They don't seem to think that, but as I said, I don't care. What's one more thing for them to gossip about?"

"I just don't want them to hurt you more than they've already have."

Belle smiled with tears in her eyes from the love that shined through his.

"As long as I'm with you, I feel safe. If you'll have me, I'd like to stay with you."

Gold smiled brightly.

"I have no issues with that."

Belle grinned.

"Belle, if you're okay with it, I'd like to take you out this weekend."

"That would be wonderful."

"It's a date!"

Belle giggled and Gold smiled again.

That Friday found Belle out of the hospital and staying with Gold for a couple of weeks. She felt like a stranger staying at his house, at first because she was one, but he made her feel welcome and safer than ever. He was the perfect gentleman. He gave her the distance he thought she needed, but all she wanted was to be near him.

When her father had found out that she was going to stay with Gold, it brought on a major tantrum from him. He didn't want her there with "the monster," as he called him. She let him have it after that. She explained everything and told him that Gold was the only person who made her feel safe. He was hurt and shocked from the information his daughter revealed. He relented and let her go.

Belle was preparing for her date with Gold. She was nervous yet excited. She'd wanted to get to know him more than she already did. Every time his brown eyes met hers, she felt her heart flutter and her knees go weak. She dressed in a beautiful gold dress with white heels. She pulled her hair back and to the side into a side ponytail. She added a bit of lipstick to her lips and a light dusting of blush and a small amount of eye shadow to just enhance her natural beauty enough. She took a deep breath and then headed down the steps to see him waiting anxiously at the bottom, leaning on his cane.

He was dressed in one of his nicer suits and his gold-tipped cane was shinier as if polished as well as his black shoes.

"My lady, you look stunning."

Belle giggled.

"Why thank you, kind sir."

She gave a curtsy and he returned with a small bow. He held his hand out for her to take and she smiled and took it.

"Shall we?"

"We shall."

They left for the restaurant.

The drive over was filled with small talk and chatter, mostly from Belle, which Gold thought was a nervous habit. He tapped his fingers against the wheel in his own anxiousness.

"Are you nervous, Mr. Gold?"

He smiled at the teasing tone in her voice. He looked over at her.

"It's been quite some time since I've had to woo a woman with a date. I feel I might be a bit rusty, but I do so hope that you like where we're going."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about as I'm already in love with you. It's just a date. It's where you and I talk and find out more than we already know about each other. Perhaps you could share a few secrets as you know most of mine."

He frowned as he looked back toward the road. He wasn't sure that his darkest secret was the best for her to know about. His dark past haunted him every day.

"Maybe I could. We'll see once we get there."

They arrived at the restaurant a short time later. It was the best Italian place in Storybrooke. Belle gasped. She knew he was rich, but she didn't think he was that rich. He looked over at her as her eyes widened as they pulled into the parking spot. He chuckled.

"Surprised?"

"Very much so. You didn't have to do this. I would've been satisfied with some small place around the corner."

"Nonsense. You deserve the best the world can offer."

Her eyes watered with happiness and love. He smiled and took her hand, gently and brought it to his lips. His lips softly caressed her knuckles. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart raced.

"Shall we?"

She nodded. He got out and walked around the car and opened her door. He took her hand and helped her out, shutting the door behind her. He led her into the restaurant with his hand on the small of her back.

Once seated at their table, Belle ordered a small glass of red wine and Gold ordered white wine. She ordered the chicken parmesan with a side salad and he ordered the lasagna with garlic bread. While waiting on their food Gold looked over Belle once again, taking in her breath-taking beauty. She caught him staring and he quickly averted his gaze. She giggled as he blushed.

"Why were you staring?"

He glanced back at her with a guilty look on his face.

"You're beautiful."

"Not so much on the inside as I am on the outside, if these are any indication."

She indicated the bandages she wore on her wrists. They were symbols of just how deep her wounds were and he hoped to help heal those wounds. He took one of her hands in his.

"I think that those scars will prove just how strong you are. It makes you even more beautiful."

She gave him a watery smile.

"I don't think they're strength. It shows how weak I was, how I just wanted to give up."

"But you survived and that, my dear, took a strong will. No matter how much you wanted to give up consciously, you didn't really want to. You wanted to survive."

"I didn't think that when I did it. I just wanted the pain to go away. I was tired of it all."

"You're not now."

"No, that's because of a certain gentleman who saved my life."

He smiled at her.

"I only did what anyone would do in that situation."

"Stop being so modest, you're a hero."

"I can assure you, dear, I'm no hero. Many believe me to be the villain in this town, a horrible monster."

"You're not a monster and it's doesn't matter what they think. Isn't that what you told me?"

"It is and it's true. I worry about you though. Being here, on a date, with the town monster, it may damage your good name."

Belle scoffed.

"I haven't had a good name since everyone found out what happened to me. They would say it was my fault and that I was asking for it. They said it was because of my naïveté."

"Well, they're wrong! No matter what those people think or what happened in that alley, you're one of the most pure souls that I've ever known."

Belle gave him another watery smile. He squeezed the hand he still held.

"So, we've talked about me so much, let's hear about you and don't tell me that there isn't a story there. I know there is."

"There's a small story, but it's not important in knowing."

"Don't do that."

"What?"

"Bring yourself down, call yourself unimportant. You are important, at least, to me you are."

He smiled and brought the hand he was holding to his lips, brushing her knuckles gently with them.

"I appreciate you telling me that. It's not easy talking about my past, but maybe one day I can show you why it hurts too much to discuss."

"I'll not press, but if this is going to go anywhere we need to be honest and open with one another."

"I understand. I will tell you that you are the first woman that I've ever truly fallen in love with."

"There have been others?"

"One other that ended quite badly."

"How so?"

"It started out as a simple one time thing, you know, a one night stand and sometime later she showed up with a baby in her arms and claimed he was mine. I had a paternity test done and he was mine. After that, I did what I thought was right and took her as my wife."

"You were married before?"

"Indeed, but it was a loveless marriage. We fought all the time. We mostly stayed together for Bae's sake."

"Your son's name was Bae?"

"It was short for Bailey. I hardly ever called him by his full name unless he was in trouble. He was…"

Gold looked away. The tears in his eyes and the lump in his throat caused him to be unable to speak more. She grasped his hand tightly.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. You don't have to tell me everything right now. Remember that you said you would show me. I'm not going to push."

He swallowed passed the lump and looked back up at her. He saw the love in her eyes.

"I know, but I do want to tell you. It's just so hard to."

"I understand. Perhaps you could tell me when we're not in so public of a setting."

"Perhaps."

Their food arrived and they ate their meal with small talk filling in the gaps. Belle told him of her life before the incident. She told him of her love of books though he already knew just how much she loved them. He told her of his business and his childhood in Glasgow. He left out the part with his parents and told her of the aunt who had become a mother to him.

"What happened to your parents?"

She was perceptive and he should've known that she would've asked about them. He sighed.

"My father was an abusive gambler. My mother would work all day and he'd spend all the wares at the races. One day he came home from the track reeking of alcohol. My mother had been saving for us to move to the states without my father knowing. He demanded that she give him everything she had. She refused and he hit her. I was but a lad then and I tried to protect my mother. He struck me and my mother jumped to her feet to defend me. He drew a pistol out of his pocket and he aimed it at my mother. She told me to run to my room, but I couldn't move. He shot her. He went to turn the gun on me, but he said I wasn't worth the bullet. He left and I cried for my mother. I called the police and they tracked my father down. He was put into prison for the rest of his life. I was sent away to my aunt. She raised me as you already know."

Belle had a hand over her mouth.

"Oh, Robert, I'm so sorry."

"It was a long time ago. My father is since dead as is my aunt. My family is gone."

"All of your family?"

He looked away again. He shouldn't have said that. His heart clenched at the things he was sharing with this young woman who had his heart. He didn't want her to know of the horrid things he's done.

"Yes, all of it."

His voice cracked at that one sentence. Belle took his hand.

"Robert, are you alright? It's okay. You don't have to tell me anymore."

He looked back at her with a determined look in his eyes.

"Let me take you somewhere. It's not a good thing to do on a first date, but I want you to know everything."

She smiled at him. He paid for their meal and he led her back to the car. They drove to the cemetery. She looked around.

"Why are we here?"

"I'm going to show you."

He got out and ambled around the car to open her door. He helped her out of the car and she took his offered arm. He led her through the graveyard, past so many tombstones. He stopped in front of one. He looked over at her and her eyes filled with tears as she read the name.

Bailey James Gold

Beloved Son

"Oh Robert, I'm so sorry."

"He would've been ten this year."

"How did it happen?"

He sighed and turned to face her, leaning on his cane.

"His mother and I had an argument. I found out she was cheating on me with a man from the bar she frequented. She took him and left. I found out that the man was driving while intoxicated and a tractor-trailer hit them head on. He didn't try to swerve or anything. Bae was killed on impact. His mother died later at the hospital, but the man survived the crash. He's spending the rest of his days on death row for vehicular homicide."

Belle felt the tears fall down her face. The man before her had been through so much, much more than she could ever believe. Now her problems seemed so trivial compared to the pain and suffering that the man before her had faced. She stepped forward and threw her arms around his neck. She hugged him tightly against her. He wrapped the arm not holding the cane around her back and hugged her back.

"That's part of the reason I couldn't let you die. I had lost so much that I loved and I couldn't lose you too. Belle, I love you."

She pulled back and looked at him.

"I love you too."

She pulled him to her, his lips crashing on hers. Her tongue slipped out and ran along his bottom lip, begging for entrance to which he granted. The need for breath caused them to break apart. She looked at him with tears in her eyes. He ran his knuckles gently along her cheek.

"Take me home, Robert."

He looked at her and nodded. They left the cemetery. He drove to his house and the car was silent. He would glance over at her and she looked out of the window. They arrived and he shut off the car. He turned to her.

"Belle, are you okay?"

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. She shook her head. He reached out and pulled her to him. She clutched his shirt as tears fell down her eyes.

"Belle, what is it? Please tell me."

She sniffled and sobbed before wiping her eyes and sitting up.

"I never thought I would find someone who would love me, someone who would be open and honest with me as you have. I never thought I would survive that night. If I hadn't forgotten to cancel our appointment, I wouldn't be here."

"I'm so glad you didn't. I would've been devastated. Belle, you have no idea what it did to me to find you like that."

"For that, I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. I should've died, Robert. All I do is carrying pain in my wake."

"No, why would you think that?"

"I made you bring up your past. I made you relive Bae's death. I asked you to do that and I didn't consider the pain I would put you through to get that answer. I'm so sorry for doing this, Robert. I don't deserve to be with you or to be loved by you."

He pulled her into a crushing hug.

"Don't regret that. Don't ever regret that. I wanted to tell you. If you hadn't pushed I would've kept it all bottled, but now that it's out in the open, I feel so much better. You did that. You made me feel better. You deserve love. Don't ever think you don't. I'm so glad that I found you before it was too late. I might've died right along with you."

She pulled back and looked at him. He had tears in his eyes too. She cupped his cheek and kissed him deeply. He broke the kiss and kissed down her jaw line. He latched on to her pulse point and sucked earning a deep moan from Belle, marking her as his.

"Robert, not here."

He nodded and released her to get out of the car. Ever the gentleman, he helped her out of her side and guided her into the house. Once inside, he recaptured her lips with his. Their tongues battled for dominance. He groaned into her mouth. He continued to place hot, open-mouthed kisses down her neck again. She pushed his suit jacket off and he let it fall to the floor. He unzipped her dress slowly as he kissed her again. His fingertips brushed her bare skin and she shivered. That sound sent a jolt of electricity down to his already straining cock.

"Bed, now."

He obliged as he led her up the stairs. Both of them lost their shoes along the way and her hair was released from its bindings and fell over her shoulders by the time they reached the room. She pulled the dress off her shoulders and slid it down her body while he watched, swallowing hard. She crooked her finger at him and he limped over. She unbuttoned his shirt and she kissed him again. She slid the shirt off his body and felt the sinewy muscle of his shoulders and arms. She pushed her hands into his locks as the kiss deepened. She moaned as his fingers undid her bra and traced the underside of her breasts.

Her mind flashed back to the alleyway. Her rapist touching her roughly in the same places and she pushed back from Robert.

"Belle, love, what is it? Did I hurt you?"

"No, I…"

She looked at him as she tried to keep her mind in the room instead of back in the alley, back in the clutches of that vile man.

"Belle, talk to me."

He took her hands and put them to his chest. He then noticed the far off look.

"Oh shit, Belle, you're okay! You're here with me! Love, look at me, please!"

She did as tears fell down her cheeks again.

"Robert?"

"Yes, sweetheart, it's me."

"I'm sorry. I was…back there, with him."

"It's okay, darling, you have no need to explain. I shouldn't have rushed you."

"No, I started this."

"It's okay. We don't have to."

"I know, but I want to. I just need a moment."

"Take as long as you need. I'm not going anywhere."

"Hold me, Robert."

He nodded and she climbed into the bed. He pulled his undershirt off and slid his pants off as well. He climbed in facing her and wrapped his arms around her in a protective embrace. Her head moved to his chest. Listening to his heart beat seemed to calm her almost immediately.

"Belle, are you sure you're okay? You know we don't have to do anything if you're not ready to."

"I know and thank you for being patient."

"Anything for you, sweetheart, I promise that I won't hurt you."

He kissed her brow. She ran her fingers over the plane of his chest, drawing circles on his abdomen. He twitched when she hit a spot near his nipple.

"Are you ticklish?"

"Maybe."

She did it again and he squirmed. She giggled.

"You are ticklish!"

He smiled at her and laughed when she hit the spot again. That sound melted her heart. She loved his laugh.

"Stop! Please stop!"

She laughed as she continued to tickle him. He then reached over and ghosted his fingers over her sides and she shrieked with laughter. She moved on top of him, straddling his hips, and put his hands above his head.

"Pinned you."

"You think so?"

She nodded as he used his hips and grasping her wrists to flip them over. She squealed as she felt him take her hands and lace his fingers with hers. They stared into each other's eyes before his lips crashed against hers again. She moaned into his mouth. Her nails scored his back. His covered cock came into contact with her core and she gasped.

"Are you okay?"

"Shh, don't stop."

He kissed down her neck, nipping lightly. He trailed his tongue down between her breasts. He kissed each mound before taking one of her nipples into his mouth. It pebbled as he swirled his tongue around it. She moaned and panted at the desire building in her belly. Wetness pooled between her legs and she clenched them together in an effort to take some of the dull ache and throbbing away. He then moved to the other nipple, lavishing it with the same attention.

He then placed hot, open-mouthed kisses down her belly. He stopped at the waistband of her panties. He looked up at her for permission. She bit her lip and nodded. He hooked his fingers in the waistband and pulled them down her legs, exposing her to him. She was dripping with moisture and he could practically feel the heat radiating from her. He looked up at her again and she nodded again.

He ran his tongue along her slit, tasting her. She arched into his mouth, moaning. He found the bundle of nerves and wrapped his tongue around it, sucking and nipping gently. Her hand reached down and grasped his hair. She gasped as he slipped one finger into her. The gasp caused him to stop.

"It's okay..." she panted "...keep going. Don't stop."

He did and added another finger to her already dripping folds. He continued with a steady rhythm and crooked them ever so slightly and she came around his fingers, her hips clenching around his head. He held her as she came down from her high. He withdrew his fingers and brought them to his mouth, licking them clean.

He moved up her body and kissed her deeply. She tasted herself on his tongue. His cock ached to be in her. He ground against the mattress to relive some of the pressure.

"Robert, please, I need you."

She tugged his boxers off and threw them away, not caring where they landed. She reached down and grasped his length. He hissed and bucked into her hand. He knew he wouldn't last if she kept on and took her hand away from him, missing the heat already.

"Are you sure, Belle? We can stop if you need to."

"No, Robert, please. I need you in me. Please."

He captured her lips again as he placed himself at her entrance and slid in gently. She tore her lips away as she gasped. He filled her up so completely. She felt her mind trying to pull her back to the alley, but she fought against it.

"Belle?"

"I'm okay. Just give me a moment."

He held that position until she moved her hips against him. She pulled him down to kiss him again as he began to thrust in and out. She moaned in his mouth. She couldn't believe that it could feel this good. He made her feel loved and special.

His thrusts started to become erratic and wanting to be sure she reached her peak before him; he reached between them again and circled her clit with his thumb. She screamed his name as she fell apart around him. Her muscles contracting around him as he felt himself release, spilling his seed into her, he collapsed on top of her. Not wanting to crush her, he moved over to her side. She turned onto her side and faced him. She put her head back onto his chest.

"I never knew it could be like that. I never knew love could be that way."

He kissed her head.

"It can be and I'm glad I could share it with you."

"I'm glad I met you. I'm glad that you saved my life. Thank you so much, Robert."

"Think nothing of it, darling. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Sleep, my Belle."

She closed her eyes and listened to his heart beat as she drifted to a peaceful, dreamless sleep. She now felt truly free.


End file.
